PICROTOXIN. 
§§ 606, 607.] 
475 
have been destroyed. The mesentery of cats, pigs, and fowls contains 
numerous small extravasations of blood. The organs generally, and 
especially the subcutaneous cellular tissue, are tinged with the colouring- 
matters of the bile; this Robert considers as evidence of weakened vitality 
of the red blood corpuscles. The walls of the blood-vessels show hyaline 
degeneration, and give with iodine a quasi-amyloid reaction. The vessels 
are often partly filled with a hyaline mass, in which, at a later date, a fine 
black pigment appears. These pigmented hyaline masses probably 
occlude the vessels, and hence cause gangrene. 
Cornutin, according to Robert, first excites the vagus ; consequently 
there is slow pulse and heightened blood-pressure ; then it paralyses the 
vaso-motor centre, and the pulse is accelerated. Severe convulsions, 
preceded by formication, follow. Paralysis of the extensor muscles, with 
permanent deformity, may result. Cornutin stimulates the uterus to 
contraction, but it does not act so well in this respect alone as when 
given with sphacelic acid. In animals poisoned with cornutin, no special 
pathological changes of a distinctive nature have been described. 
IV.—Picrotoxin, the Active Principle of the Cocculus 
indicus (Indian Berry, Levant Nut). 
§ 606. The berries of the Menispermum cocculus comprise at least 
three definite crystalline principles : menisper mine, 1 par amenisper mine 
(nitrogen-containing bases), and picrotoxin, which possesses some of the 
characters of an acid. 
§ 607. Picrotoxin was discovered in 1820 by Boullay. It is usually 
prepared by extracting the berries with boiling alcohol, distilling the 
alcohol off, boiling the alcoholic residue with a large quantity of water, 
purifying the watery extract with sugar of lead, concentrating the 
colourless filtrate by evaporation, and crystallising the picrotoxin out of 
1 Menispermine (C 18 H 24 N 2 0 2 ?), discovered in 1834 by Pelletier and Courbe, is 
associated with paramenispermine. The powdered berries are extracted by alcohol 
of 36°; the picrotoxin removed by hot water from the alcoholic extract ; the 
menispermine and paramenispermine dissolved out together by acidulated water, 
and from this solution precipitated by ammonia. The brown precipitate is dissolved 
by acetic acid, filtered, and again precipitated by ammonia. This precipitate is 
dried, treated with cold alcohol to separate a yellow resinous substance, and lastly 
with ether, which dissolves out the menispermine, but leaves the paramenispermine. 
Menispermine forms white, semi-transparent, four-sided, truncated prisms, melt¬ 
ing at 120°, decomposed at a higher temperature, insoluble in water, but dissolving 
in warm alcohol and ether. Combined with 8 atoms of water it crystallises in needles 
and prisms. The crystals are without any taste ; in combination with acids, salts 
may be formed. 
Paramenispermine forms four-sided prisms, or radiating crystalline masses, 
melting at 250°, and subliming undecomposed. The crystals are soluble in absolute 
ether, insoluble in water, and scarcely soluble in ether. 
Paramenispermine dissolves in acids, but apparently without forming definite salts. 
